Manchester City has unveiled plans for a fan experience and year round entertainment and leisure destination at the Etihad Stadium, featuring an expansion of the ground as well as a covered fan zone and work space. Fans and the local community have been invited to share their feedback from today (February 28) until March 26.
As part of the club’s vision to establish the Etihad Campus and the wider area as “a globally relevant and competitive sport, leisure and entertainment destination”, the plans include several connected all-weather facilities, fully integrated into the stadium. These facilities will be centred around an expanded North Stand with one larger, single upper tier above the existing lower tier, increasing the stadium capacity to over 60,000.
In addition, there are plans for a covered City Square fan zone, with a capacity of 3,000 and a wide variety of food and drink outlets, new club shop, museum and hotel, all proposed in order to offer a broader range of dynamic matchday and non-matchday activities. Modest workspace has also been included for use by start-up and medium-sized organisations looking to co-locate and collaborate with the Club, City Football Group and Etihad Campus partners.
Matchday travel measures are currently being explored with partners from across the city, with a view to enhancing existing services. Alongside this, the Club is developing alternative methods for fans to travel to and from the stadium as part of its wider sustainable transport strategy.
Since 2008, City Football Group has overseen over £700m of investment into the Etihad Campus and East Manchester, delivering a range of facilities including City Football Academy, the Connell Co-op College, the Manchester Institute of Health & Performance and Co-op Live, the UK’s biggest and most sustainable arena, which opens in December 2023.
In line with previous Club development proposals, the initiative would ensure that training, recruitment and employment opportunities are prioritised for local people. Opportunities would extend beyond the period of development works, with plans being explored for a long-term ‘skills academy’ programme designed to provide local people of all ages with qualifications to secure permanent jobs at the Etihad Campus.
Should a planning application be submitted and successfully approved, the construction programme would take place over a three-year period, with works staged to minimise disruption during the football season. Detailed information outlining the Club’s concepts are now available for fans and the local community to view here where feedback and comments can also be submitted.
Fans and the local community can also visit a temporary exhibition space in City Square at the Etihad Stadium to see the Manchester City plans, which will be open from March 4-26. Or they can attend one of three consultation events in East Manchester, including Beswick Library (March 9, 3pm-6.30pm), The Foyer at the National Cycling Centre (March 13, 3pm-7pm) and Church of the Apostles, Miles Platting (March 15, 3.30pm-6.30pm).